Australian, NZ trade ties with Qatar growing

By Peter TownsonStaff Reporter

Australian Ambassador Doug Trappett (left) and New Zealand Ambassador Rodney Harris (right) who attended the ANZBIQ reception last night

Members of Australian and New Zealand Business in Qatar (ANZBIQ) gathered at the Grand Hyatt Doha yesterday, where Australian Ambassador Doug Trappett gave his first official address to the group.The evening also represented a rare occasion when the ambassadors from Australia and New Zealand could attend the same event in Qatar.Trappett is based in the UAE while New Zealand Ambassador Rodney Harris, who presented his credentials to HH the Heir Apparent Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani yesterday, is based in Saudi Arabia.During his speech, Trappett spoke about the relationship between Australia and Qatar, discussing the countries’ mutual interests and shared values.Some 3,000 Australians are currently based in Qatar working in a variety of different sectors, and two-way trade between the countries is around A$783mn.This places Qatar as their 42nd largest trade partner, but trade has risen by about 30% a year for the past three years, and Trappett said he was looking forward to continued growth in trade, security, diplomatic and other areas.The New Zealand community in Qatar only numbers several hundred, but this figure continues to increase here and throughout the region. Harris spoke about the potential for bilateral relations between Qatar and New Zealand, expressing his belief that trade levels between the two should increase in the future.Both Australian and New Zealand agriculture are of particular interest to Qatar and other countries in the Gulf as part of their food security programmes, and Qatar currently has a number of partnerships in both countries.Hassad Foods has purchased a selection of properties in Australia, and Trappett described this as “a headturner for future investment.”Trappett also spoke about the heightened level of Australian involvement in regional issues, including them being the third highest contributors in terms of humanitarian aid to Libya.The strong turnout and active participation in a lively question-and-answer session last night was a clear indication of a vibrant business community and developing relations between Qatar and both nations.